by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications

Wilkes-Barre, PA — Devious Man sneaked his way along the inside of the stretch after a pocket trip behind favorite Long Tom and won Saturday’s (July 1) $500,000 Earl Beal Jr. Memorial for 3-year-old trotters by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:52.4 at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono.

Long Tom finished second and Ariana G, the first filly to ever compete in the Beal, was third after racing first over from prior to the half-mile point.

USTA/Mark Hall photo

Devious Man lit up the toteboard at odds of 15-1 in capturing the Earl Beal Jr. Memorial.

Devious Man, who started from post seven and was sent off at odds of 15-1, got the lead on the first turn and took the field to the opening quarter-mile in :27.1. Long Tom brushed to the front as the group passed the grandstand for the first time and led to the half in :56.1 and three-quarters in 1:24.1.

Once in the stretch, driver Andy Miller maneuvered Devious Man inside to the “Pocono Pike” and went down the road to victory.

“I worked out the trip I wanted,” Miller said. “I left the gate a little and he crossed over to the front. (Long Tom) moved and I was able to let him go just before the half and sat on his back until the open stretch. He’s really fast off of cover and he enjoyed the trip.”

Devious Man, owned by Stroy Inc. and the Andy Miller Stable, and trained by Julie Miller, has won four of five races this year and earned $403,410. His wins this season also include the Empire Breeders Championship. He was second by a head in his Beal elimination.

For his career, the son of stallion Credit Winner out of the mare Miss Garland, has won 11 of 17 and earned $711,643. He was last season’s New York Sire Stakes champion for 2-year-old male trotters.

“He raced good a couple weeks ago in the Empire Breeders (Championship),” Miller said. “He’s just a super nice horse.”

All nine horses in the Beal final are eligible to the $1 million Hambletonian Stakes on Aug. 5 at the Meadowlands.

Earl Beal Jr. Memorial Consolation

“Tim Tetrick” and “$92.40 to win” are not word combinations you usually read in the same sentence, but Tetrick rallied the Donato Hanover colt Backstage Pass, the longest shot on the board, from far out of it to just catch pacesetting favorite Muscles Jared, who had been hard-pressed on the lead, by a nose and take the $75,000 Beal Consolation in 1:55, lowering his personal mark by a tick.

A frequent winner at 2 in Pennsylvania and New Jersey stakes company, Backstage Pass now has a lifetime record of 10 wins in 20 starts, 2-for-3 since he came under the care of Pocono “Trot Man” Mike Simons (who like Tetrick wears green and gold), and earnings of $119,540 for owner Jessica Smith.

— PHHA/Pocono also contributed to this story